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University of Illinois,4, Urbana 61801
Abstract
The influence of glucocorticoid administration and limited nursing on piglet carbohydrase enzyme development and subsequent growth was examined in three experiments using 371 piglets. Treatments in the first two experiments were formed by the factorial arrangement of hydrocortisone (–HYD or +HYD) and limited nursing (–LN or +LN) imposed form d 14 to weaning (d 28). Hydrocortisone was replaced by adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) in the third experiment. Growth rates were severely depressed by HYD (P < .01), LN (P < .001) and to a lesser extent (P < .06) by ACTH during the last 2 wk of lactation. During the first 14 d postweaning, piglets continued to grow more slowly following HYD treatment (P < .01), whereas LN piglets grew more rapidly than those allowed to suckle normally. Although piglets were smaller at weaning after HYD injection (P < .01), relative weights of liver, pancreas and small intestine were increased (P < .05). Only adrenal weights were increased by ACTH (P < .09). Pancreatic and intestinal amylase activities were increased two- to three-fold by HYD injection {P < .05) but were unaffected by ACTH or LN (P > .10). Sucrase and maltase activity increased linearly with age (P < .001). This rate of increase was numerically enhanced by glucocorticoid treatment and LN. The normal decrease in lactase activity was accelerated by LN and HYD injection, with the greatest depression caused by the combination of LN and either HYD or ACTH administration (P < .05). Glucocorticoid administration to nursing piglets can evoke premature elevation of the carbohydrase enzymes necessary for initiating the hydrolysis of starch.
1 Current address: Monogastric Res. Dept., Purina Mills, Inc., 1401 S. Hanley, St. Louis, MO 63144.
2 Current address: Centro National de Investigaciones en Alimentation y Nutrition Fisiologia, Institute National de Forestals, Agricolas y Pecuarias, Apartado Postal 29A, Queretaro, Queretaro, Mexico 76020.
3 To whom reprint requests should be addressed.
4 Dept. of Anim. Sci. The assistance of Scott Williamson, Howard Cook, Steve Heffernan and Dale Alexander with diet preparation and animal care is gratefully acknowledged.
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